After rebuking Venerable Channa in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Channa: “Is it true, Channa, that you did this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked him … “Foolish man, how could you do this? People perceive trees as conscious. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling ‘When a monk builds a large dwelling with a sponsoring owner and intended for himself,

he must have monks approve a site where no harm will be done and which has space on all sides. If a monk builds a large dwelling on a site where harm will be done and which lacks space on all sides, or he does not have monks approve the site, he commits an offense entailing suspension.’”

Definitions A large dwelling: one with a sponsoring owner is what is meant. Dwelling: plastered inside or plastered outside or plastered both inside and outside. Builds: building it himself or having it built. With a sponsoring owner: there is another owner, either a woman or a man, either a householder or a monastic. Intended for himself: for his own use.